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Now that my schedule’s all confirmed, here are some notes on the films about why I’ve selected them. As with last year, I’ll sort by programme and mark my must-sees with a *.

Canada First!

Oh wait … none this year! This is a surprise as I usually have at least a few picked out, some [...]

My plan this past weekend was to drop off TIFF advance orders for Sven, Mike, and myself on Sunday by getting to the box office before it closed at 7pm.  Sakina and I left my place in Mississauga at about 6pm, since I figured an hour would be plenty of time for what is a [...]

Just a quick note to kick things off for this year’s fest. I have a draft schedule nearly done, which you can view here; so far I’ve slotted in 28 out of 30 films. Yes, I’m only going with the ‘lite’ Festival Pass this year. Since the second Thursday evening (U2 concert) [...]

Films seen Saturday, September 13th …

The Wrestler
While maybe not offering up anything as stunning or innovative as his earlier work, the latest from Darren Aronofsky is a very solid and enjoyable film. You get really invested in Mickey Rourke’s character, and despite his obvious failings you want to root for him. A sad, touching, [...]

Films seen Friday, September 12th …

Martyrs
Gory, disturbing, and thoroughly messed up … as advertised. But it was entertaining from the get-go.
7/10

Tokyo Sonata
I’m still having a hard time judging this one. It was an interesting story of dysfunctional family members dealing with their own issues, but something seemed off with how the story turns [...]

Films seen Thursday, September 11th …

Gomorrah
Explores the many reaches of an organized crime syndicate. The film was engaging, but there wasn’t much of an overall plot … just a bunch of stuff that happened, albeit often violent and tragic and worth the viewing.
6/10

The Brothers Bloom
A fun movie, but mostly memorable for the excellent cast [...]

Films seen Wednesday, September 10th …

Ashes of Time Redux
Not the film to see when you’re sleepy and can’t pay attention. I couldn’t keep track of who the brothers and sisters were, or the romantic connections. Nodding off here and there, I completely lots track of the story. Will have to re-evaluate this [...]

Films seen Tuesday, September 9th …

Maman est chez le coiffeur
Completed my trifecta of French-Canadian coming of age stories set in the 60s, each with different approaches and styles. This one was more family-focused and grounded/realistic, but not without many moments of humor. The three children of the film’s family each had their own issues to [...]

I’m pretty behind on these recaps as there just hasn’t been much down time to tackle them. So what I’m going to do is cut down a bit on the comments to just some essential notes; the longer I go without writing something then the more likely it is I’ll forgot what I watched!

Films seen [...]

Films seen Sunday, September 7th …

Lost Song
A sad and moving story of a family adjusting to life with a newborn baby and living away from the urban environment they are accustomed to. This was a late addition to my schedule; I had the slot open and I saw a few very good reviews for this [...]

Films seen Saturday, September 6th …

Edison & Leo
This is my biggest disappointment so far. The film is much more lighthearted than I anticipated and the character animation was poor to the extent of distracting. I can understand that in the tedious world of stop-motion that human mouths must be a real chore; it [...]

One positive for the AMC as a venue … or rather, for Toronto Life Square in which it is located. I’m currently in the food court and there is free wi-fi; this particular network is named “Futureshop”, but there were others available. There are also power outlets to use in strategic locations.

Now, I’m [...]

Films seen Friday, September 5th …

The Sky Crawlers
Anytime the characters take to the skies, this film is just gorgeous. The aircraft look amazingly realistic, and when they engage in dogfights the action is intense and thrilling. Now, I didn’t expect the movie to be all action, but the shift in pace outside the cockpits really [...]